Once a mitral valve prolapse has been diagnosed, how is this heart condition treated? Doctors have a number of options for people who have been diagnosed with this common condition. In many cases, a person who has been diagnosed with a mitral valve prolapse doesn’t need any specific treatment. This is generally the case in situations where the patient isn’t exhibiting any symptoms of the condition. Medications Medications may be used to treat the chest pain and heart palpitations associated with mitral valve prolapse. When blood clots and the risk of stroke are a concern, the doctor may recommend taking Aspirin. Beta blockers are another option, since these drugs make the heart beat more slowly and with less force. Blood pressure is lowered as a result, and the blood vessels be...

A mitral valve prolapse is also known as “click murmur syndrome.” It occurs when the mitral valve leaflets, the flaps that are in between the left atrium and ventricle of the heart, are enlarged. Instead of closing tightly, the malformed mitral valve flops back into the atrium. In some cases, the mitral valve prolapse allows blood to leak from the ventricle back into the atrium. When this relatively common heart defect (affecting between 5-10 percent of the population worldwide) becomes severe enough, it can cause heart failure. Diagnosing Mitral Valve Prolapse A doctor may suspect mitral valve prolapse if he or she hears a clicking sound after the ventricle contracts while examining a patient with a stethoscope. The doctor will also be listening for a “whooshing” s...

Mitral Valve Prolapse (MVP) is a heart defect that affects between 2-3 percent of the population. This condition is usually diagnosed in young adults between 20-40 years of age. The Mitral Valve is one of the four located in the heart. As the heart beats, the valves open and close to let blood flow from the atrium down to the ventricle. Each Mitral Valve has two flaps. An MVP can occur when one or both of the flaps is too large or when the chordae tendinea (strings that attach the underside of the flaps to the ventricular wall) are too long. The valve doesn’t close completely when the heart beats. As a result, the valve “prolapses” or bulges backward when the heart is beating. This causes some blood to leak back into the atrium from the ventricle. The heart beats normally...